Iâve never had Netflix and never watched any of the new MST until getting the rewards. Iâm 3 episodes in and am happy overall. Reptilicus was very well done, especially.
Having said that, and I mean no offence, but Iâm wondering if future episodes are so incredibly dense with constant jokes? They seem to be racing and jumping the gun sometimes.
The only other thing I take issue with is that Tomâs and Crowâs voices are almost identical so I find myself looking at the silhouettes to try to see whoâs speaking. Iâve watched Baron and Hampton during the livestreams and they are both great. Just hoping they develop their own styles later in season 11 or, failing that, my ears grow accustomed.
Whatâs all yâallâs thoughts?
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Donât get your hopes up.
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Iâm a fan of the Netflix years. Yes, itâs fast-paced, but I think that helps rewatchability. You always seem to hear something new.
People mention that Baron and Hampton sound alike, which I donât get. Baronâs voice is deeper, and Hamptonâs reminds me more of Traceâs Crow.
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Two things happened with my experience
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I kinda got used to the new pacing and voices
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As the series went on the jokes started to get room to breathe
I mean YMMV but I really enjoyed the Netflix series.
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The Gauntlet is a little less fast-paced than the season before it. Give it a try.
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I love the hell out of the Jonah era. I like to think of it as a worthy successor to the Joel and Mike eras.
I got caught up on the similar voice thing on that first go-round, but that worked its way out quickly. Like, by the time Cry Wilderness rolled around kinda quickly. What helps is that - and I donât know if Iâm explaining this well - there are certain riffs that feel like theyâre specifically written for the characters of Servo and Crow. Thatâs helped out.
The pacing gets much better, too. I enjoyed Reptilicus (still do), but on that first watch, I had to chuckle amusedly and think, âWhoa, gotta slow down on that machine gun fire tempo!â But they do. Probably some opening night jitters, I think.
Overall, the new series just -feels- like classic MST3K, you know? It feels like home. I have no problem putting Wizards of the Lost Kingdom I and Season 12âs Mac and Me on my top ten MST3K episode list.
And like @FlyingSquid said, I think youâll find plenty to enjoy in The Gauntlet.
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I too had trouble distinguishing voices initially, it gets better with exposure. And I concur that they really hit their stride in The Gauntlet. The host segments and the riffing get tighter, and I love the way the additional robots are integrated into the fun.
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So good reviews for the most partđđ» Good to hear since no matter what, Iâll be watching it allđ
In âThe Time Travellersâ Joel was looking and acting super weird in that cameo as the partying scientist!
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Joel is super weird, so that works out.
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And donât forget about the 2 new bots who became my favorites afterward.
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GROWLER FOREVER
thatâs a complete sentence
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I had more trouble with new Tom and telling him apart. Hampton sounded Crow-like enough that it didnât take too long to separate him from the others.
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When Season 11 first came out, yeah I found it hard to distinguish the voices in the theater⊠not helped by the fact that their silhouettes have a much smaller impact on the screen⊠but Iâm not sure if itâs because Iâve heard Baron and Hampton speaking normally, or if Hampton altered his Crow voice slightly so now I have no problem telling them apart.
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Welcome aboard! The fast clip of riffs starts to slow as it goes. By Avalanche (1978), I definitely sensed a difference and by the middle of the season Starcrash (1978), The Land That Time Forgot (1974), and The Loves of Hercules (1960) the pace mellowed while still faster than classic MST3K. At the end of Season 11, Carnival Magic (1983) and The Christmas That Almost Wasnât (1966) were near Season 10 speeds I felt and I stopped noticing the pace. In Season 12 aka The Gauntlet, joke velocity matched the late Season 11 episodes and were more traditional in older feel as such outside the showâs loss of a Host Segment and the commercial breaks of past seasons.
Voice difference? I know what you mean. As you watch more and become familiar with Hampton and Baronâs tones that disappears. Repeat watching of these episodes solves that by exposure. Baron also sounds deeper than Kevin and hearing that lower register over time becomes distinctive. Especially in Host segments where the characters interact, pay attention to Tom and that helps you in the theater.
The key takeaway is patience. This is all so new to you since youâre now just watching it. Finish Season 11, work yourself through The Guantlet, and revisit earlier Season 11 later and much of this will settle. The voices especially but the pun speed even wonât stiffle as badly once you know the shows better. Youâll note the fast references particularly in Reptilicus (1961) and Cry Wilderness (1987) yet youâll accept them to a greater degree and grow to love them in their own way.
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It gets⊠better? The first few episodes from season 11 were pretty breakneck but, as the show found its footing, things thin out.
Then the pace is picked back up for season 12, mainly because of the shorter format. But it felt like a good balance was found. Or maybe season 11 was good at calibrating us for a new, faster, denser riff rollout. Or something.
I also ran into that âconstant jokesâ thing youâve described and I wasnât enjoying season 11 when it first came out. It took some getting used to; sorta attributed it to a show coming out of a 15+ year torpor with an all-new cast going at it for the first time. Youâll never forget how to ride a bike but if itâs been a while then expect the first few times to be wobbly.
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P.S. Avalanche (1978) and Starcrash (1978) are everyoneâs favs among Season 11 not purely due to laughs. They feel less forced in what youâre describing. The humor isnât quite as packed and the experiment shines greater. You fall into them more than the first few episodes. Even Cry Wilderness (1987) acts a touch smoother than Reptilicus (1961). Film by film in Season 11, these problems clear and diminish and in At The Earthâs Core (1976) you scarcely see it.
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The first couple episodes, I think I was just in this sort of awe. I just couldnât believe here I was, watching BRAND NEW episodes of MST3K for the first time in decades and Iâm pretty sure I missed some stuff initially (while constantly thinking to myself âWhat was I ever so worried about?â). As it progressed, I definitely started to relax and enjoy it like the original. (And I also had to adjust to the more rapid-fire style and having to figure out who-saying-who too)
And Iâm pretty sure I said out-loud to myself after Every Country Has a Monster: "Oh yeah, itâs back. 
"
Avalanche was the first that really connected with me. One of the many reasons itâs one of my favorites of the bunch!
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To my ears, itâs actually Hampton and Jonah who sound alike, particularly in earlier episodes and particularly when they are putting on a different voice to their ânormalâ riffing voice.
Yeah, totally agree with this too.
In fairness, I think both Baron and Hampton do a terrific job of borrowing elements from Kevin, J. Elvis, Trace and Bill that keeps the characters established and putting their own spin on it. Really looking forward to more, and very excited to hear/see what Nate and Conor do with them as well.
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Iâve had trouble with the first season and⊠aside from voicing and characerization, which you just have to give time, I just want someone to nail Servo to the damn seat. All the extra âwe did cuz we couldâŠâ just didnât work for me. I think the group is great, but needs to get back to the original vibe more.
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I appreciate all of it, but Iâve been watching some Season 2 lately and I still prefer the lack of a story and the more modest approach.
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